'America is changing' says Catholic bishop of Los Angeles

Speaking to an assembly of the Napa Institute on July 28, in California's rich wine country, Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles spoke on the tradition of tolerance in American history, as well as the challenges posed by renascent nativism. While avoiding the "politics of immigration," Archbishop Gomez - who was born in Mexico and immigrated to the U.S. - spoke of the contributions of the Catholic Church to the settlement of North America and the role played by Hispanic Americans in founding the Church in the Americas. He asked rhetorically, in view of the open hostility to religion and a "legal structure that allows and even pays for the killing of babies in the womb," "What will the 'next America' look like?"

In introductory remarks he said: "Our political debate about immigration in America frustrates me. Often I think we are we are just talking around the edges of the real issues.Both sides of this argument are inspired by a beautiful, patriotic idea of America's history and values. But lately I've been starting to wonder. What America are we really talking about? America is changing and it has been changing for a long time. The forces of globalization are changing our economy and forcing us to rethink the scope and purpose of our government. Threats from outside enemies are changing our sense of national sovereignty."

"America is changing on the inside, too. Our culture is changing. We have a legal structure that allows, and even pays for, the killing of babies in the womb. Our courts and legislatures are redefining the natural institutions of marriage and the family. We have an elite culture - in government, the media and academia - that is openly hostile to religious faith."
 
"America is becoming a fundamentally different country. It is time for all of us to recognize this - no matter what our position is on the political issue of immigration. We need to recognize that immigration is part of a larger set of questions about our national identity and destiny. What is America? What does it mean to be an American? "Who are we as a people - and where are heading as a country? What will the "next America" look like?

"As Catholics who are faithful citizens in America, we have to answer these questions within a larger frame of reference. We have to always remember that there is more to the life of any nation than the demands of the moment in politics, economics and culture. We have to consider all of those demands and the debates about them in light of God's plan for the nations."

See the text of the speech here.